Olympics / Editor / 05 August 2008 / Leave a comment Bet Now

We target archery with an introduction to the merry men and women taking their bows and arrows to Beijing.

Archery

How it works: Bow, arrow, target, squint, pyyyoing! thwack. Sixty-four competitors are eventually whittled down to two finalists in the men's and women's individual events. Sixteen teams compete in the team event. The archers aim for a target of five coloured rings, each divided in half, with ten points for a bulls-eye down to one for the outer edge.

Who'll do well

Korea. Especially in the women's individual section, where they have won the last six gold medals, four of the last six silvers and three of the last six bronzes. In the team events, their men and women are pretty much unbeatable. Word has it that they dominate so much because the country has been shooting arrows since 37 B.C.

What makes it interesting

The final is as much a test of nerve as it is skill, with the two competitors going head-to-head, with the winner often winning by a single shot.

Why bet on it

No one has ever successfully defended their Olympic gold medal.